Lighthouse Early Learning Centre to replace Integricare
A childcare provider announced it was closing its Homebush West centre after 43 years after quoting for $400,000 worth of damages.Now a new provider fork out $1 million to save the centre.
Inner West
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A new daycare provider will operate out of a Homebush West council building previously deemed no longer fit for purpose as a childcare centre.
A representative of Lighthouse Early Learning Centre said they will fork out in excess of $1 million over 12 to 18 months to get the centre up to scratch.
Lighthouse Early Learning Centres will take over the centre from not-for-profit Integricare Early Learning Centres.
Integricare Homebush West previously announced it was closing after quoting an almost $400,000 repair bill and said an inspection revealed it was “no longer fit for purpose”.
Integricare will close on December 20 after 43 years of operation in the Kurralee council-owned building.
It will reopen as Lighthouse on January 6, who have said they will offer about 60 daycare spots at the same rates as Integricare.
Parents of the Integricare centre have reported rotting in the building structure, sponge used for installation, flooding, problems with drainage, wood holding up window panels and trees uprooting the outdoor play area.
Lighthouse Operations Manager Lydia Sedrak said they will “invest heavily in the centre” to modernise it with equipment the centre didn’t have before.
“We’re happy we were the ones who could save the centre,” Ms Sedrak said.
A Strathfield Council spokeswoman said “Kurralee was assessed and certified by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) in June 2019 as meeting the National Quality Standards.”
The building was found to uphold the national standards for the physical environment.
As such it is stated “Outdoor and indoor spaces, buildings, fixtures and fittings are suitable for their purpose”.
Although the council spokesman said: “There is work to be done to the buildings and grounds to improve the physical environments.”
Integricare CEO Domenic Valastro said the centre negotiated with council over the terms of the lease for 18 months but council were not willing to spend any money on the building.
“We didn’t want to close the centre. (But) we’re a non-profit charity and we didn’t feel we could spend half a million on a building we don’t own,” Mr Valastro said when they announced the closure.
Strathfield MP Jodi McKay also got behind saving Integricare Homebush West, saying Strathfield Council basically “evicted them”.
Yet Integricare Homebush paid a nominal rent to Strathfield Council.
At the time of closure, a Strathfield Council spokeswoman said: “Under the terms of the licence, the licensee is responsible for the maintenance of the building. In return, the licensee pays a nominal rent. Integricare has occupied the site since the building was new.”
A motion was carried at a Strathfield Council meeting on August 6, which called for council to “urgently consider renegotiating … with Integricare to reach a fair and amicable agreement in relation to the undertaking of essential structural repairs.”
Integricare parents held up signs at the council meeting demanding Integricare and Kurralee be saved.